Robert Mondavi Winery to get major facelift in 2026

The Napa Valley producer is currently undergoing a “massive renovation” of its winery, with rumours circulating that owner Constellation Brands has invested around US$200 million into the revamp, db can reveal.

Speaking at a London event held yesterday to celebrate the latest vintage releases (2022 and 2023) from Robert Mondavi Winery and Schrader Cellars, Jason Smith, vice president for luxury strategy at Constellation Brands, said that a good portion of the US$200m investment is going towards “modernising the cellar” at Mondavi.

The project is expected to be completed by May 2026, when a new and “more contemporary” facility will be unveiled to the world.

Constellation is keeping its cards close to its chest for now but db can reveal that one of the biggest changes taking place is the removal of all tanks and fermenters, which will be replaced by much smaller formats.

“This is a big change, and symbolic of the future direction of the wines,” said a spokesperson for the company.

Promise fulfilled

The major alterations, which are currently underway, fulfil a promise made by Constellation when it acquired Robert Mondavi Winery in 2004 for US$1.36 billion. Former CEO Richard Sands said at the time that he was “committed to further enhancing the prestige of the flagship Robert Mondavi winery, as well as giving it the recognition it deserves throughout the world.”

Although the top role has changed hands several times since then – Sands passed the baton to his younger brother Robert Sands in 2007, before current Constellation CEO Bill Newlands took over in 2019 – the company has held fast to its promise and looks set to deliver on it.

At the time of the purchase, Constellation vowed to bring its extensive distribution channels to boost Robert Mondavi Winery’s presence internationally. Today, and unusually for a Napa label, almost half (46%) of Robert Mondavi Winery’s sales are made to markets outside the US. Contrastingly, 63% of the wine sold and consumed in the US is made by US producers, according to CGA powered by NIQ.

However, earlier this year Constellation offloaded its lower-tier Robert Mondavi Private Selection brand to The Wine Group, along with five other wine labels, in order to focus on its “higher-end brands”. These ultra-premium brands include Schrader Cellars, which Constellation snapped up for US$60 million in 2017.

The drinks giant’s latest financial results came as “a pleasant surprise” to shareholders. Last week it announced results for the company’s second quarter to the end of August, revealing earnings of US$3.63 per share above the consensus analysts’ estimate of US$3.35. Sales, however, were 2% lower at US$2.48 billion, below predictions of US$2.51 billion.

 

 

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